Causton is buzzing at the opening of a new brewery on the site of a famously cursed abbey. But excitement turns to fear when a man is found boiled to death in one of the vats. DCI Barnaby and DS Winter are puzzled, could this really be about beer?

When Mahesh Sidana - butterfly collector and founding member of an elite IQ society - is found murdered, pinned to a wall in a manner akin to his treasured butterfly specimens, DCI Barnaby and DS Winter are thrust into a crime that impacts not only on their community, but internationally. With the help of an old friend, can they catch the culprit before another victim is found?

Carver Valley's comic festival is in full swing when the village is shocked by the murder of a former supermodel. With a scathing comic shaming several villagers as the only lead, DCI Barnaby and DS Winter are left trying to separate fact from fiction.

DCI Barnaby is less than impressed when Sarah drags him to a family friend's wedding. But things soon go from bad to worse when tragedy strikes, and Barnaby is called into action to catch a murderer with an apparent penchant for local brides.